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Digital Transition FAQs

1. Why is RFB&D discontinuing four-track tapes (RFB&D's Classic Cassettes™) and switching exclusively to CDs (RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks)?

   RFB&D must embrace digital technology in order to meet our members' present and future needs. As a nonprofit organization, RFB&D simply cannot continue to maintain and spend our valuable human and financial resources on outdated analog technology. Parts needed to maintain our analog recording and production equipment are almost obsolete - as are the machines themselves. It is almost impossible to even find the parts or technicians to fix the machinery. The savings that RFB&D will realize by focusing our efforts on digital recording is money that could be reinvested to support increased digital production and provide membership support programs to a wider audience of people who could benefit from our services.

   We do not rush into decisions to change and upgrade technologies without much research and care. Throughout our close to 60-year history, each change in technology brought a vast improvement in product quality, production and turnaround time, as well as production cost savings and member benefits.

   RFB&D believes our members will derive more benefit from offering books in an RFB&D AudioPlus format only, and we are going full steam ahead to position ourselves as the leading provider of quality recorded educational materials for millions of people with print disabilities.

2. When will members no longer be able to get RFB&D's Classic Cassettes and installments?

   In July 2006, production of analog installments will end, which means that members wishing to obtain parts of books as they are being recorded will receive a digital installment instead.

   By July 2006, all newly produced RFB&D books will only be available on RFB&D's AudioPlus CDs.
   

   By the end of June 2006, RFB&D will discontinue selling all cassette players. Prior to June 2006, as cassette player inventories are depleted, RFB&D will no longer reorder them. However, to ease the transition, RFB&D is offering the Telex Professor CD/Cassette Player, a hybrid machine that plays both CDs and four-track cassettes.

   Finally, by July 2007, RFB&D will cease to distribute any titles on RFB&D Classic Cassettes.

3. How is RFB&D preparing its members for this change?

   RFB&D launched RFB&D's AudioPlus books on CD in 2002, anticipating that a transition to digital only would require a slow phase out over approximately five years. RFB&D continues to help its members through this phase-out period by:

   • Offering advanced notice of these changes to give members time to adapt to digital and get accustomed to the enhanced navigation features
     
   • Providing individuals and institutions with accessible multimedia or print training tools or where available, live assistance with playback devices and software
     
   • Offering a hybrid CD/four-track cassette player to help members make the transition from RFB&D's Classic Cassettes to RFB&D's AudioPlus CDs
     
   • Offering on a frequent basis digital player discounts and promotions as incentive to switch from analog to digital format.
     
     

4. Is RFB&D planning to convert its entire library to digital?

   No. RFB&D's team of librarians has done extensive research and taken steps to ensure that all of our most-requested, highest circulating titles are already recorded digitally. Also, member requests over the past few years have complemented our market research efforts to help us build an extensive library of books that we have already converted analog to digital. In addition, RFB&D is investigating retaining a portion of our analog library for distribution upon request in a simplified digital format that would not have the same navigation enhancements as RFB&D's AudioPlus books. In some cases, the quality of some of the analog formats that are archived make conversion impossible.

5. Can members play RFB&D's AudioPlus CDs on their normal CD player?

   RFB&D records books in accordance with US copyright law, which mandates us to record in a specialized format to an eligible population of people who cannot read standard print effectively. RFB&D offers for sale a selection of portable and desktop players and software for students, teachers and professionals to use in the classroom, office or at home. We also offer listening accessories, such as headsets and adapters.

6. What about international members?

   Copyright restrictions currently prohibit us from distributing our digitally produced audiobooks internationally. Recognizing the impact of these restrictions on members residing abroad, RFB&D is working with our library partners outside of the US and with publishers to find solutions to address international distribution issues. RFB&D appreciates the support we receive from our international members and understands how many people outside of the United States have a learning disability, visual impairment or physical disability rely on our audiobook library and membership services. Thus, when available, we will continue to convert new digital titles to analog (cassette) format upon request for all international members.
   

7. What if our members cannot afford digital playback devices? Will the cost of these playback devices come down?

   Prices have and are expected to continue to decrease with time. RFB&D offers specialized players for nonprofit sale, and we are currently working closely with private and public funders to subsidize the cost. We are also working with equipment vendors to provide more cost-effective products and lower the costs for our members. RFB&D has and will continue to offer promotions to our members, offering them discounts on playback devices. Check out our latest promotions. One of the most frequent comments we have received from members is that the playback devices for RFB&D's AudioPlus books are too expensive and is the main reason why they choose to use RFB&D Classic Cassettes. These promotions offer the digital playback device at a near or equal cost to our analog playback devices.

8. Why can't RFB&D continue to distribute both formats?

   RFB&D is a careful and cautious steward of the resources we receive from private (individual, corporate and foundation) and government funding. We have determined that we cannot continue to spend our valuable human and financial resources on producing two versions of each book. It is significantly less expensive and faster to produce an RFB&D AudioPlus book than a book in an RFB&D Classic Cassette format. Also, we stand behind the fact that our RFB&D's AudioPlus books are superior in quality, navigation, portability and usability than our titles on RFB&D's Classic Cassette.

9. Why is digital recording better than analog recording?

   Digitally recorded textbooks offer many benefits to our members, including:

   • Instant navigation: Members can go directly to a page and move from chapter to chapter at the push of a button. No more counting beeptones!
     
   • Better sound quality: Digital recording produces significantly less "hiss" than analog recording (eg. "tape hiss") and it is easier to edit out such things as reader coughs, pauses, etc. Additionally, unlike analog recordings, copies sound exactly the same as the original recording each and every time.
     
   • Convenience and portability: The equivalent content of 10 cassettes fits on a single CD, making it much more convenient for students to juggle multiple textbooks and carry books in their backpacks to class.
     
     

10. Will members be able to play our books on an MP3 player?

    At this time, RFB&D’s books are not playable on an MP3 player.